The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 03, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 31, 1998
Jeffrey A. Laine, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Physical Optics Corporation, Torrance, CA (US);
Abstract
A backlight apparatus has a collimating waveguide with a light input end, a top surface, a bottom surface, opposing sides, a far end opposite the light input end, and a total internal reflection critical angle for the material of the waveguide. A plurality of first facets are formed in the bottom surface distributed along the waveguide between the light input end and the far end. Each of the first facets has a first facet bottom surface which converges toward the top surface in a direction away from the far end relative to the top surface. A light scattering and reflective surface is disposed adjacent the far end of the collimating waveguide. The first facet bottom surfaces cause light rays entering the light input end to be totally internally reflected to the far end of the collimating waveguide wherein the scattering and reflective surface at the far end reflects and scatters light rays incident thereon back toward the light input end. The first facet bottom surfaces then cause the light rays reflected from the far end to exit the top surface. The first facet bottom surfaces may be formed either as straight facets or as curved surface facets and may also be alternatively formed having a reflective material layer thereon.